Black high school football player’s home spray-painted with racial slur, investigation yields strange findings

Isaac Phillips is a 13-year-old biracial teen who played for the Lunenberg Blue Knights football team. He is no longer a member due to reports of being harassed by teammates.

On Tuesday, state and local police conducted a search at the Chase Road home of Anthony J. Phillips and Andrea Brazier, Isaac’s parents, after graffiti containing racial epithets was found on the home.

On Nov. 15, graffiti that included the N-word was discovered, and the team was forced to forfeit the remainder of the season while police investigated who was responsible. Now, with the team cleared, some here felt a measure of vindication Tuesday, but are still awaiting answers about the origins of the vandalism that thrust the town into the national spotlight.

About a dozen residents stood in the roadway outside the Phillips’ home as police went about their search. Among them were members of the team. “We would have never done this,” said Danny Szabady, 18, a senior and a team cocaptain. “We always knew it wasn’t us.’’ Steve Boone, the school’s head football coach, said in an e-mail to the Globe: “I am very happy that the team was cleared of the allegations.’’

Days after the vandalism, hundreds of residents gathered for a candlelight vigil in support of Phillips.

Now that the football team has been cleared of any wrongdoing, the investigation has taken a strange turn. Isaac’s mother Andrea Brazier, who was once very cooperative with law officials, is now being investigatedto determine what role, if any, she played in spray-painting the N word of her home.

She has not been charged or arrested with any crime.

We will keep you updated on the developments of this story.

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